Religious festival
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. In Saudi Arabia, it is a time of prayer, generosity and family, with new clothes, festive meals and gifts for younger family members.
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1 Shawwal, at the end of Ramadan; the date moves each year
Homes, mosques and public spaces across Saudi Arabia.
Attend the Eid prayer, visit family, share festive meals and give gifts and money to younger relatives.
Eid Mubarak!: Blessed Eid!
Eid al-Fitr, the “festival of breaking the fast”, is celebrated by Muslims around the world on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, after the month of Ramadan. Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, the date moves earlier each year in the Gregorian calendar, and the start of Eid depends on the sighting of the new crescent moon. Before the Eid prayer, Muslims give zakat al-fitr, a charitable donation so that people in need can also celebrate.
Families prepare in advance, decorating their homes, buying new clothes and shoes, and planning generous meals for relatives and friends. On the morning of Eid, people attend the special Eid prayer, held in congregation at mosques and open prayer grounds. Afterwards, a common Saudi tradition is for families to gather at the home of the oldest generation. Before the festive meal, younger family members line up to receive money as gifts from adult relatives. The days that follow are filled with visits to family and friends, sweets, dates and Arabic coffee, and many cities host public events and fireworks. Celebrations vary between regions, but generosity and hospitality are shared by all.
Eid al-Fitr is about gratitude after a month of fasting, as well as caring for others, from charity to visiting older relatives and neighbours.
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Many businesses close or change their hours during the Eid holiday, and travel is busy as families visit each other. Greet people with “Eid Mubarak”. If you are invited to a family’s home, a small gift of sweets or dates is appreciated. Dress modestly, especially around mosques.
On the first day of Shawwal, after Ramadan. The date depends on the sighting of the new moon and moves earlier each year in the Gregorian calendar.
A charitable donation given before the Eid prayer, so that people in need can also celebrate the festival.
The most common greeting is “Eid Mubarak”, meaning “Blessed Eid”.
